It was a day of celebration on Friday for a groundbreaking ceremony for
Cargill's
$40 million
housing project that is underway in
Fort Morgan
.
Cargill
representative
Jarrod Gillig
, President of
Cargill's
North American Protein Business Operations and Supply Chain, addressed the group, thanking many state and local leaders for taking part in the event. He recognized
Fort Morgan
Mayor
Kevin Lindell
,
Colorado
Attorney General
Phil Weiser
, Sally Rochella with
Senator Hickenlooper's
office, Senior Policy Advisor for Housing with
Governer Polis's
office
Megan Yonke
, Executive Director for the
Department of Local Affairs Megan De Cambra
, and many local leaders.
Cargill
has been in the community for close to 40 years. Over 100 employees are riding the bus from
Greeley
every day to work. The housing project will create a work-life balance for employees. Their partnership with
Morgan County United Way
has provided opportunities that are used for housing needs. They have 46 plants across
North America
that feed 90 million people every day. In
Colorado
,
Cargill
has over 3000 employees and six facilities.
Fort Morgan
has the largest facility, with over 2000 employees.
Cargill
has invested over
$250 million
worldwide and has contributed over
$300,000
to nonprofits.
Gillig said that
Cargill
is proud to partner here to increase employee housing. "As we continue to think about the community partnership and the value that comes with this, we take great pride in it. Being able to invest
$40 million
here in housing is huge."
Real estate development partner, President of Portmanteau
Bill Moore
, explained that the project shows the investment and commitment of
Cargill
and the town of
Fort Morgan
.
The first project will be
Riverside Homes
, a for-rent community, and they are on the site of that project right now.
Riverside Homes
will have an 81-unit apartment building and 27 townhomes for rent. There will be a wide range of unit types, studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom homes. The site across from the
Super 8 Motel
, which is no longer operating, will be a part of the project. The main reason this site was selected was the proximity to
Riverside Park
. There will be a community room and half-court basketball, amongst other amenities. The second community south of
Riverside Homes
will be
Gateway Park
. It is a for-sale community with 60 townhomes and duplexes. There will be 24 single-family homes, duplexes, and 26 row homes with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Moore said, "This is a huge benefit and a great collaboration. I have never said this before, but the entitlement permitting process has been pleasant so far. Actually, I know I've never said that before. It is largely due to the commitment of many people in
Fort Morgan
, including
Brent Nation
. We appreciate his commitment. He is an asset to this community."
Fort Morgan City Manager
Brent Nation
said, "I can't say enough about having
Cargill
in the community. They are a tremendous community partner and asset, from the housing center to donating to help raise scholarships. With these two projects, I was happy to go to the council and say they wanted to do this. We are extremely excited about this project."
"The housing project is something we have been working on for quite some time," said
Celia Perez
, Plant Manager at
Cargill
in
Fort Morgan
. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Not only me but the employees. The hugs and smiling faces. This makes me extremely proud to work for
Cargill
. It would not have been possible to be where we are today without our partnerships and the journey we've been on along the way. I would like to say thank you to the
United Way of Fort Morgan
, the Morgan County Family Center, and the
Boys and Girls Club of Weld County
. We appreciate your support. Everyone who has partnered with us has been instrumental in our success, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of the employees."
She recognized
Kevin Bell
, Senior Plant Finance Analyst, who she said does a phenomenal job at making sure that
Cargill
is aware of and supports local events. Bell said that
Cargill
is addressing one of the most fundamental needs of any community: safe and stable housing. He went on to say that families struggle to find homes that are within their budget and meet their basic needs for safety and security. Addressing housing shortages will ease the strain on local housing markets and reduce homelessness.
"Investing in our employees' well-being strengthens our workforce and contributes to the community's overall vitality," said Bell. "
Cargill
aims not just to create houses but homes. This project isn't just about buildings; it's about building a brighter future for our employees and their families."
Colorado
Attorney General
Phil Weiser
addressed the crowd saying, "This is something truly worth celebrating. You rarely hear stories about communities coming together with civic sectors to make something happen. Housing is a topic all across
Colorado
. I hear about it everywhere I go. What is happening here is a milestone of what we can do. The government can work hand in hand to make this dream possible. The passion that
Cargill
has is what we would wish for every employee. When an employer says we're concerned about your housing, we're concerned about your education, we're concerned about your kids. In
Colorado
, we can, and we must be leaders and innovators for not just the nation but for the world. How do we show that we solve problems together? There is too much demonization, too much division. What is happening here is an example of when we come together to solve problems, it can be a thing of beauty."
